WJC: 2017 Sweden Roster Talk

[BonAppleTea]

Maybe it's time to start getting in fresh blood to our staff groups. Swedish hockey need to change, and everyone who mentions that god darn 40 win streak should be dragged through Stockholm behind a horse cart.
Who cares if we win every group stage game when we choke and breaks under pressure EVERY single year?
Coaches are picking out players due to loyalty, we have an unreasonable fear of pressure and are growing up with a mindset that makes our players scared to go all out against the NA teams. New blood, new tactics and a freaking group stage loss is what's needed. The talent and potential is there year after year but it is getting increasingly painful seeing the same story repeat itself every time

 

[Matte99]

The talent wasnt there for a couple of years. This team looked like they had it but in a high pace game with extreme forcheck they didnt have the skills. Canada dominated them along the boards and in front of the net and Sweden ended up playing dump and chase which isn't there game. On big ice the result would probably be different but that's the way it is. It was a fun game to watch anyway.

The final we lost in Malmö was a disgrace, that team was so much better than Finland but on small ice our way of playing doesn't work because we don't have the board play and simply lack the time to play our way against NA-teams.

 

[Nordic*]

A Swedish team performing like crap when it matters.

Feels like that has happened once or twice before...

Our defence lacked puckmoving ability and the energy that the forwards had earlier was nowhere to be seen.

 

[Eternalize]

Yeah i feel like the last few years in this tournament have been really frustrating to watch. There's not really any shame in losing to Canada in a semi-final, but they were never really close to win it besides taking the early lead in the beginning of the game. Canada always have a great team with an overload of great prospects, but i was never really convinced that it was "good enough" to go all the way this year. Sweden really should have been able to make it tougher for them IMO, even though i don't think we had the best team either. D-core felt weak.

But yeah, after the last few years, i guess i didn't expect too much either. We have had better teams in the past that couldn't succeed. Considering how many great teams we've had the last decade or so, it's embarassing that we were only able to win 1 gold medal. And it's not like we won that Final easily either (winning in OT), even though we dominated that whole game against Russia.

We have been choking it pretty hard lately, but we also basically have zero luck in these games that really matters. I have zero motivation for the Bronze-game tomorrow, i've had enough of this.

 

[ulvvf]

Canada was the best team, and even if I think our chances would have been better if we wouldnt have done the same mistake as always, to force in medicore players, I think the end result would have been the same.

On positive note, I think we had the best player in tournament and in this game, Nylander. He just dominated, and if we had 13 Nylander we would most likely win, but now he is to alone.

 

[IceBjoern]

Damn.. Didn't expect to wake up to a 5-2 loss... Same thing every single year... Except that one year...
Go for bronze I guess and come back stronger next year!

 

[IceBjoern]

.....

We have been choking it pretty hard lately, but we also basically have zero luck in these games that really matters. I have zero motivation for the Bronze-game tomorrow, i've had enough of this.

You have to put yourself in a position to get lucky too.

 

[Garl]

Humanitarian superpower

 

[fredligh]

The talent wasnt there for a couple of years. This team looked like they had it but in a high pace game with extreme forcheck they didnt have the skills. Canada dominated them along the boards and in front of the net and Sweden ended up playing dump and chase which isn't there game. On big ice the result would probably be different but that's the way it is. It was a fun game to watch anyway.

The final we lost in Malmö was a disgrace, that team was so much better than Finland but on small ice our way of playing doesn't work because we don't have the board play and simply lack the time to play our way against NA-teams.

I was at that game and it could as well have gone in the other way, even most likely would have been a Swedish win. And then the history would have been changed. Even though i were nervous every single second Finland was in the Swedish zone since Dansk was the most nervous goalie i ever seen, while husso(?) was calm as a cucumber.

This years team did good. A matchup against Canada in Canada is a nightmare. Same way Canada have a hard time playing in Europe some years.

 

[Seiza]

I think the Swedish D has been rubbish throughout the whole tournament and the offense didn't show up against Canada. Sweden never really challenged Canada's mediocre goaltending, there were plenty of rebounds to work on but Sweden was never first on the puck.

Congrats to Canada on the win, Sweden lost against a superiour team and the numbers would have been much bigger if it wasn't for Sandström (even though two of the goals were quite soft). Good luck in the final.

 

[VictorLustig]

People get too hung up on this "best when it matter" thing. What I've seen these last few years are teams that just can't handle the pace when it picks up. The SHL is good in a lot of ways but it doesn't prepare our players for this type of hockey. The forecheck was just too heavy, our D was not prepared for it and not skilled enough to beat it.

 

[Petri1981]

unbelievable that Finland has 2 WJC20 gold medals and a WJC18 gold medal in the recent years where Sweden has only one WJC20 gold, even though when sweden has vastly outnumbered Finland in terms of output of fresh NHL players. Swedish juniors really suck when it matters

 

[OiledUp]

A couple of questionable choices on D before the tournament and the usual mental disadvantage against Canada and the end result is very predictable. I said to my gf that the swedish mindset was off already when I saw Asplund trashtalking Strome like a madman before the first faceoff. They're so focused on not being intimidated by the Canadians they completely lose their game. Happens every time there's an important game against Canada.
They lose the passing game and controlled game which is what swedish hockey is about. A few years ago you could tell that most of the swedes played in men's leagues while Canada et al had their kids in juniors. The swedish teams looked much more organized and composed but the last few WJCs that's changed. I don't know if it's because Roger Rönnberg is a much better coach than what we've had the last couple of tournaments or that the players aren't getting the same kind of coaching in their home teams but imo the difference is obvious. Which is a shame because imo the skill level is higher.

 

[BonAppleTea]

People get too hung up on this "best when it matter" thing. What I've seen these last few years are teams that just can't handle the pace when it picks up. The SHL is good in a lot of ways but it doesn't prepare our players for this type of hockey. The forecheck was just too heavy, our D was not prepared for it and not skilled enough to beat it.

But that's the thing. We need to reinvent our thinking and adapt to the rest of the world. As I said, the skill and talent is certainly there, but we are playing a game that doesn't suit the top teams tactics anymore. We can smother the less stacked teams, but when up against several top lines we collapse. Need to change our entire thinking and coaching process to encourage the faster, more physical style of play.

 

[MrStench]

People get too hung up on this "best when it matter" thing. What I've seen these last few years are teams that just can't handle the pace when it picks up. The SHL is good in a lot of ways but it doesn't prepare our players for this type of hockey. The forecheck was just too heavy, our D was not prepared for it and not skilled enough to beat it.

I think this is key. Virtually all of Canada's players play major junior; they're accustomed to intense games with high stakes on small ice. While this is obviously a step up from a CHL playoff game, that step is smaller than the one from SuperElit (which honestly looks like a different sport to the game last night) and even from 8-12 minutes a game of SHL or Allsvenskan hockey.

 

[fredligh]

unbelievable that Finland has 2 WJC20 gold medals and a WJC18 gold medal in the recent years where Sweden has only one WJC20 gold, even though when sweden has vastly outnumbered Finland in terms of output of fresh NHL players. Swedish juniors really suck when it matters

Ye would have been better to either win gold or fight in the relegation round each and other year. The only time we really choked have been in the two last bronze games were we either got blown out or lost to a much weaker team. The times we lost the finals has often been by a small margin, and therefore can be excused by saying the other team was better or had bounces going their way. Can specially be said about the 2014 years finals and. If that is "suck when it matters" they're in good company with the Finnish mens team, who have never won a best on best tournament in modern history. Especially looking at the Turin performance where they won all games and then sucked when it mattered.

 

[OiledUp]

But that's the thing. We need to reinvent our thinking and adapt to the rest of the world. As I said, the skill and talent is certainly there, but we are playing a game that doesn't suit the top teams tactics anymore. We can smother the less stacked teams, but when up against several top lines we collapse. Need to change our entire thinking and coaching process to encourage the faster, more physical style of play.

I disagree to some extent. I don't think there's any point in chasing after a more physical brand of hockey, that style isn't really gaining in efficiency anyway, the reason Canada is so dominant at the main stage of late is that they've stepped away from the all out forecheck physical style in favour of a more controlled style based on puck control and structure. Faster is ofcourse always better but imo the focus should be on faster puckmoving and skating, things Sweden has traditionally always been strong at but tend to get away from against NA teams. No point in trying to mimic Canada and play their style better than them. We should perfect our own style instead.

 

[fredligh]

I disagree to some extent. I don't think there's any point in chasing after a more physical brand of hockey, that style isn't really gaining in efficiency anyway, the reason Canada is so dominant at the main stage of late is that they've stepped away from the all out forecheck physical style in favour of a more controlled style based on puck control and structure. Faster is ofcourse always better but imo the focus should be on faster puckmoving and skating, things Sweden has traditionally always been strong at but tend to get away from against NA teams. No point in trying to mimic Canada and play their style better than them. We should perfect our own style instead.

The reason Canada is so dominant is because they have about 8-10x the skaters tho choose from relative to any country not named U.S. They haven't even produced as many medals as one would expect in the last years considering all that talent and depth they have.

In last five years span they have one gold and one bronze. If we would have beaten them tonight i would bet the WJC board would be flooded with "What happened to Team Canada" threads. To much recency bias it is mind boggling. Same with the "Is Finland the new gods of icehockey" when winning U18, U20 the same year. Probably for spitting out two generational talents in the same year i would say.

 

[DoubleGold]

I thought Sweden was supposed to have the strongest team but they got blown out of the water. I guess Canada is always Canada.

 

[OiledUp]

The reason Canada is so dominant is because they have about 8-10x the skaters tho choose from relative to any country not named U.S. They haven't even produced as many medals as one would expect in the last years considering all that talent and depth they have.

In last five years span they have one gold and one bronze. If we would have beaten them tonight i would bet the WJC board would be flooded with "What happened to Team Canada" threads. To much recency bias it is mind boggling. Same with the "Is Finland the new gods of icehockey" when winning U18, U20 the same year. Probably for spitting out two generational talents in the same year i would say.

I should rephrase. The reason their results of late are on par with how dominant they should be based on having the massive advantage in number of players they have is that they've stopped playing the stupid and ineffective style they used to.

And that's dominance at the men's stage I might add, not really juniors, the point I was trying to make was in reference to style. Imo the traditional NA style of hockey and it's effectiveness has been overrated much due to the fact that Canada has a much deeper pool to choose from as I think they'd been more dominant with a different approach.

 

[VictorLustig]

On the positive side, Dahlin is going to be awesome next year.

 

[Hockeyfrilla]

Filip Gustavsson
Alex Nylander
Fredrik Karlström
Lias Andersson
Elias Pettersson
Rasmus Dahlin
Tim Söderlund

eligible to return

 

[fredligh]

I thought Sweden was supposed to have the strongest team but they got blown out of the water. I guess Canada is always Canada.

You don't really have to say something about what Finland "was supposed" to do this tournament. Just let the silence speak for itself.

 

[DoubleGold]

You don't really have to say something about what Finland "was supposed" to do this tournament. Just let the silence speak for itself.

What's your problem? The only thing I was implying was that Canada is always a tough opponent. We are still happy with our 2 gold medals in 2 years, thank you.

 

[fredligh]

I should rephrase. The reason their results of late are on par with how dominant they should be based on having the massive advantage in number of players they have is that they've stopped playing the stupid and ineffective style they used to.

And that's dominance at the men's stage I might add, not really juniors, the point I was trying to make was in reference to style. Imo the traditional NA style of hockey and it's effectiveness has been overrated much due to the fact that Canada has a much deeper pool to choose from as I think they'd been more dominant with a different approach.

I think The U.S and more so Canada is advantageous on NHL rinks. That is why i am not surprised at all that they walked away with tonight's game. But of course you have a point in your post. Saying they try to play the skill game more than the intimidation game.